Tea Talk and Late Night Healing
by SennaFan4ever
Summary: Takes place within Civil Wars. Korra apologizes to her mother while they have tea together late at night. Somewhere in the middle of their conversation, Senna ends up putting her healing skills to the test thanks to Varrick. R/R


DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from LOK. They belong to Brike.  
>Enjoy!<p>

A/N: I couldn't help myself. I managed to squeeze another fanfic out of Civil Wars.

"Tea Talk and Late Night Healing"

Korra sighed as she rolled over in bed. She had been trying to sleep for the last few hours now. But the harder she tried, the more rest alluded her. Sitting up with a tired sigh, the Avatar swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. Maybe a cup of tea would help her fall back to sleep. She knew what was keeping her awake, even if she didn't want to admit it. She was feeling guilty for running out on her mother earlier. She knew she had hurt her and that was the last thing she wanted to do. Despite how frustrated Korra felt towards her father, she had never meant to hurt her mother. She loved both of her parents to death, but she and her mother had always shared a bond with protection at its core. As Korra entered the hallway, the faint light from the kitchen caught her eye. Entering the room, she got a cup down from the cabinet and filled it with water. Finding her favorite tea on a shelf, Korra put a tea bag in and heated it with firebending. Once it was at the right temperature, she carried her cup of tea into the living room. She sat down and took the first sip. Letting the warm liquid slide down her throat, she felt it warming her from the inside out. She took another sip or two before putting the cup down upon the table. Spotting a piece of paper lying next to the cup, Korra reached for it. She suddenly felt the need to write a few things down. As her right hand came in contact with the blank sheet, she felt something sharp bite into her right palm. Cursing underneath her breath, she dropped the paper and examined her injury. Upon closer inspection, it was apparent that a shard of glass had imbedded itself into her hand. Normally Korra would have just yanked it out and healed herself, but suddenly she didn't have the strength to even do that. Getting a closer look, she only saw a tiny ring of blood. She cursed yet again. This time, it was Varrick she vented her anger at. She only remembered now where the glass had come from. She remembered how he had broken not one, but two plates during his impassioned speech to her father about Unalaq's invasion. Now Korra was suffering for Varrick's idiotic decision.

Korra was about to take care of it herself when a familiar soft female voice addressed her from the doorway.

"You can't sleep?"

Glancing up, Korra shook her head as she watched her mother enter the room and join her on the couch a minute later.

"You read my mind," Senna smiled softly as she indicated her own fresh cup of tea in her left hand. She frowned upon seeing the way her daughter was holding her right hand. "Little one, what happened?"

Korra shrugged.

"It's nothing, Mom. I just cut my hand on a piece of glass."

Senna frowned. She set her tea cup down. Reaching her hands out, she prepared to examine her daughter's injury.

"May I see it?" She asked.

Korra nodded. She winced in pain and then hissed as her mother took her injured hand in hers. She breathed through the pain as her mother's soft, cool hands examined the glass and injury around it.

"Honey, I'm going to have to pull the glass out of your hand before I can heal it," her mother explained.

Korra merely hissed once again as her mother proceeded to remove the glass from her hand.

Going carefully and gently, Senna wrapped some blue fabric around one end of the glass and pulled it out.

"Almost done, sweetie, almost," she soothed Korra.

"Just get it over with, " Korra gritted out.

Senna didn't take Korra's attitude personally. She understood she was in pain.

"Do you think I need stitches?" Korra asked as the glass was removed from her hand.

"No. There you go," she proclaimed as she successfully removed the glass. Once it was removed, she healed the cut with the water from the vase. "How does that feel?"

"Better," Korra replied. She averted her mother's gaze as she added, "Thanks."

"You don't have to thank me, little one. I love you. Look at me," she gently requested.

Korra did so after a few minutes.

"I'm sorry," the almost eighteen-year-old muttered.

"For what?" Her mother was taken aback by her words.

"For running out on you last night. It wasn't right. You were just trying to help me. I was being stupid."

"Korra, I appreciate your apology and I forgive you," her mother assured her. She reached out and pulled Korra in for a hug. Kissing the top of her head she added, "But I never want to hear you call yourself stupid again. You're not stupid. You're angry and confused. There's a difference."

"Okay," Korra breathed in the familiar scent of her mother's ocean and coconut shampoo. Mother and daughter stayed that way for the next few minutes. "Do you want help cleaning up the mess Varrick left?"

"That's okay," her mother dismissed. "I can get it. I should have cleaned it up earlier. That was my fault. If I had you wouldn't have gotten hurt in the first place."

"It's not your fault. Varrick shouldn't have broken the plates," Korra pointed out.

"I agree with you there," her mother smiled at her. "Why don't I clean this up and then we can both get to bed. Your father's probably wondering where I am."

Korra nodded. Despite her mother refusing her help, she ended up getting a dust pan and broom from the closet anyway. Once the glass was cleaned up, Korra bade her mother good-night before retiring to her room for the rest of the night. She was surprised when her mother followed her inside. She raised her eyebrows until her mother's reason became clear when she began to tuck her in.

"Mom, you don't have to do that," Korra said. She was about to say more when her mother nodded.

"I know. I want to. Please just let me do this for you."

"Okay," Korra replied. She realized her mother needed this. They both did.

"Sweet dreams, little one. I love you," her mother kissed her forehead and pulled the covers up around her shoulders.

"I love you too," Korra mumbled as her eyes closed.

Senna smiled as she left her daughter's room. She was grateful that Korra had allowed her to take care of her for one night. She and Tonraq had missed out on so much when it came to raising Korra. Senna wanted to take advantage of every opportunity she could get to be there for her now. While she was aware her little girl wasn't a little girl anymore, Korra still needed her parents to a certain extent. Crawling into bed beside her husband, Senna smiled as Tonraq pulled her close from behind.

"Are you okay?" he whispered in her right ear.

"Yeah," she replied. Turning around in his arms, she captured his lips in a kiss. "I just went to check on Korra. She was awake, so we talked for a few minutes. I had to heal her hand."

"What happened?" her husband inquired. Sitting up a little, he made to get out of bed. His wife putting a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Glancing back, he raised his eyebrows at her in a questioning manner.

"Korra's fine. She's fast asleep," Senna informed him. "Lay back down. We both need sleep."

Tonraq hesitated for a minute before taking his wife's advice. The minute he was comfortable again, she laid her head on his chest. Running a hand through her hair, he kissed her cheek.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," Senna whispered. She suddenly choked back a sob as tears came to her eyes.

"Hey, hey, honey, what's wrong?" Tonraq asked in concern.

"I…I'm just scared," Senna revealed. "I'm scared of what Unalaq is going to do next. I'm scared that he'll take you away from me…" her voice trailed off as more tears came.

"Senna, I'm right here," Tonraq comforted. "I'm not going anywhere."

"But what if he…" she couldn't bear to finish the sentence.

"Sweetie, I'm fine," Tonraq assured her. "I think my brother learned his lesson earlier today. I don't think he'll try anything again," Tonraq tried to assuage Senna's fears. He just hoped he was telling her the truth.

Senna just let the remaining tears fall as she found comfort in her husband's embrace. As her eyes closed a few minutes later, she tried her best to calm down. She was safe for the moment and the two people she loved were safe and sound for now. Little did Senna know how short that would last…

THE END


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